Question

List the stages of prevention in clinical practice and the stages in public health. Define each and explain the similarities and differences between each level of prevention in public health and its similar stage in clinical treatment. Why are there differences between public health prevention and prevention in clinical treatment?

Answer 1

There are 4 stages of prevention in publuc health.

1. Primordial prevention
2. Primary prevention
3. Secondary prevention
4. Tertiary prevention

1. Primordial prevention

Primordial prevention is defined as preventiin of risk factors themselves , beginning with change in social and environmental conditions in which these factors are observed to develop , and continuing for high risk children , adolescents and young adults.

• Special attention in preventing chronic disease
• Main intervention is health education
• Discouraging people from adopting harmful lifestyle and habits by mass education.
• It begins in the childhood when health risk behavior begins.
• Example is national programs and policies.

2. Primary prevention

Primary prevention is defined as the actions aimed at avoiding the manifestations of a disease

• These actions are taken before the onset of disease
• It enables every individual to lead a socially and economically productive life.
• Primary prevention acheived by health promotion ( health education , environmental modifications , nutritional interventions , lifestyle and behavioral changes) and specific protection ( immunization and seroprophylaxis , chemo prophylaxis, use of specific nutrients or supplementation , safety of drugs and foods , control of environmental hazards)

3. Secondary prevention

Secondary prevention refers to the treatment intended to avert the recurrence of a disease or event in a subject who already had such a condition.

Interventions are early diagnosis and treatment and referral .

• It attempts to arrest the disease process and restore health.

4. Tertiary prevention

Tertiary prevention refers to preventing the progression of existing conditions and it relates to functional assessment and rehabilitation both to reverse and to prevent progression of the burden of illness.